Arriving in Korcula

We spent a couple of days on our second Croatian island, Korcula, and as sad as it was to leave Hvar, I have to say, Korcula is pretty amazing, as well. I might even go as far as to say I like it better, thought they're both awesome. This is the view from our terrace.

While Croatia seems like a far-off and exotic destination, as I've said, it's the place to be for European and Eurasian travelers, especially the jet-set with money. Case in point, when we pulled into the bay at Korcula, there was the biggest private yacht I'd ever seen. The thing was as big as a football field, and the guy who met us at the dock said it belonged to Abramovich. I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but after some research, I found out the guy is Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire, and his boat even has a name - it's called Vibrant Curiosity and it is in fact about 300 feet long. Is that crazy, or what? Even more crazy is that his boat is docked in Korcula.

I also learned that Korcula is where Marco Polo was born, and where he set off on his great adventure at the age of 17. Cool historical fact. Our apartment in Korcula is amazing, very beautifully done, and stylish and clean. Best of all, the location is great, facing the ocean with a view, right above the main drag.

More on Korcula later, I have to run. Until the next time, thanks for reading, thanks to RIC for the pics.

Good Vibes in Hvar

We stayed on one of the islands in Croatia, Hvar, and it's beautiful here. The people are super nice, and they all speak English, on some level, which is good because I don't know a work of Croatian. I'd like to learn, however,

We developed a pattern of life on the island where we would go to the local store and pick up bread, fruit, juice and coffee, and start our day out slowly on the deck. Then we'd go swimming, walk around the island, have a killer lunch, then swim some more. The ocean here is amazing, the best ocean swimming I've ever done. The water is crystal clear, a nice cool temperature, and it's hot and dry on land. A good combination to swim. Plus, the Adriatic is pretty calm, so we can swim reasonably far out. A&N are having a blast because they can swim and see fish and coral and all that good stuff. They both swim like fish, and they go pretty far out into the deep water. A is fine by herself, but either R or I swim near N so he can use us as a flotilla now and then. It's still pretty amazing that he's swimming in such deep water. I think they love diving deep down and seeing the marine life.

One great thing about our place is that there is a washing machine, and we were able to do some laundry, which we needed to do. I tend to pack lightly, and when you can do some laundry at some point in your journey, it makes it all the more possible. Plus, since we're in Europe, we have to maintain our proper Euro sense of style... yeah, right.

On our last day in Hvar, we had to catch an evening ferry to Korcula, but checkout at the apartment was 10:00 AM. I asked if we could stay until the afternoon, and was willing to pay for it, but they declined the money and said it was fine because nobody was coming until the next day. Glorious. They also gave us a ride, even though the guy was sleeping. He interrupted his nap to get us to the ferry landing. Such nice people, and such good vibes.

Until the next time, thanks for reading, and thanks to RIC for the pics.

We Love Croatia

You know, a few years ago if you'd told me that I'd love visiting Croatia, I would have told you that you were crazy. I've always had this image of Croatia being cold and Cold War, with gray buildings and former KGB agents trying to sell me black market nuclear arms, but it's nothing like that. In fact, it's amazingly beautiful, very much like the Greek Islands, though I might go as far as to say that I like Croatia better. It's definitely cheaper because it's not EU, but it's also pretty hip and the Adriatic Sea is so beautiful. Like Greece, the people are very friendly, and we've been welcomed with open arms, though we are tourists and we are their bread and butter.

Whatever be the case, the people are very warm and friendly, they speak English for the most, and the dollar still has some power over the Kuna, so things are definitely cheaper. Much cheaper than the Euro, that's for sure.

One thing about being in Croatia is that we are definitely in vacation mode (this is the view from our terrace), which means relaxing in the warm weather, swimming frequently in the beautiful, crystal clear Adriatic, and eating amazing food, especially the seafood. I've said this before, but I didn't realize that Croatia is such a destination. I think amongst the jet-set and Europeans, Croatia is the place to go. Even the touristy areas are more enjoyable than the ones you see in Athens or Rome, they're just more cheerful and easygoing.

I can't say enough about how much we're enjoying our time here, and the kids are loving it because not only do they get to swim all day, but they're loving the food. A&N are being very adventurous with their food choices, and I think A is at the age where the young, hip and happening singles scene holds at least a little interest for her. How can you not be intrigued by young beautiful people dressed stylishly (or not at all) and dancing and having fun. Kind of scary from a parental POV, but what are you going to do?

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Explorning Split in Croatia

Who names a town Split? I know, it's Croatian, and I should look on the bright side, it's a lot easier (at least for me) than pronouncing 90% of the Italian towns. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, right?

We arrived in Split on the morning Thursday, September 6, I think. I've lost track of the days (this is a good thing when you're on vacation). When we first got off the boat, I was not only exhausted, but it is always strange walking around a foreign land where you assume nobody speaks English, especially a port town where tourists are aplenty. It didn't help that it was 7:00AM, and my POV was heavily biased by all the stupid Hollywood movies I'd seen about Eastern Bloc intrigue.

As it turns out, my anxieties, as they often are, were completely unfounded. Sure, people were tired and weary (it was the crack of dawn, for crying out loud), but the people we asked for help were all very friendly and helpful, even the ones that looked like characters out of a LeCarre novel. Most of them spoke English, as well, and at one point, we were standing there totally clueless and lost, looking like sitting duck targets for a scammer, when an elderly woman walked over and asked us if we were looking for the ticketing booth (we were). She then kindly explained to us where we needed to go, and we were on our way.

The reality is, Split is a fairly booming tourist port, and along with it's rich history, caters to the jet-set crowd. You don't get a sense of this back home, but Croatia, particularly the coast and islands, are the hot destination for European travelers, especially the young and the beautiful, as well as the jet-set travelers with money. You see this last part on the islands, where huge yachts tend to dock. Now my first impression of Split when we got off the boat was clouded by gray skies and fatigue, but as the sun began to rise and the day got started, we began to realize that Split was a very cool town. Not only was it clean and filled with interesting shops and restaurants, but it was hopping with tourists, especially the Brits. They were there in full force, they practically owned the place.

We had a few hours to pass, so we wandered about the place, and really enjoyed it. There were open air markets where we got some amazing peaches and grapes, we scored a SIM card for the cell phone and the guy at the luggage claim explained to us how to use it in perfect English. Finally, we were able to get ferry tickets to Hvar, and they were cheap. One thing really nice about Croatia is that they are not part of the European Union, so they operate on their own currency, the Kuna. Prices are very reasonable, not quite dirt cheap, but much cheaper than the EU. We experienced a similar situation in Turkey.

All in all, it was a really nice time, and I for one would not have minded spending more time in Split, except that we were bound for better things in Hvar. The ferry ride was pleasant, about an hour, and the boat was nice and cool with the air-conditioning on. Even still, weary world travelers can have a ripe smell to them. Such is life.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

An Interesting Ferry Ride to Croatia

You don't really give it much thought, but the Adriatic Sea is bigger than you realize. Then again, who in this world ever gives much thought to the Adriatic? Quick, ask yourself this question: where exactly is the Adriatic Sea located? Yeah, I figured as much.

The reason this is even coming up is because we had to take a ferry across the Adriatic Sea to get to Croatia. For whatever reason, we couldn't get a direct flight from Italy to Croatia. Apparently this is not unusual, and in order to fly there, we would have had to have flown to Frankfurt, then to Croatia. I've heard you can get direct flights from Rome or Milan. We didn't have the option, and instead opted to take a ferry over. We've taken several ferries, some as short as half an hour, others that lasted 4-5 hours, and they are fun because it's always nice to be on a boat. This ferry ride, however, was going to 10 hours, and we were going to spend the night on it.

The ferry itself wasn't so bad on the outside, but once you got on, it was a little run down. The reality is, ferries are not usually designed for luxury and comfort, it's really all about getting from point A to B. They try to make it as nice as possible, but it ain't the Love Boat. It didn't help that I was reading a book about the struggle to survive on a lifeboat that was from a ship that had caught fire and sunk. It was grim and brutal, a la Titanic.

It is nonetheless exciting boarding a ship, especially big ones that seem like fortresses. As with all ferry's I've been on, you board the ship in the cargo hold, and then walk up a series of steps to get to the deck, where you can enjoy the ride in the fresh, briny air. When we checked in, the steward led us back down those very steps into the belly of the ship, where our room was. I kept think, "Oh man, we're in steerage." Those are the rooms that fill up first when the ship goes down, and I kept thinking of where our escape route was going to be. It ain't easy being neurotic and paranoid.

It was wishful thinking on my part to think that we were going to get a window, and our cabin was small and dark, but it was comfortable, and we were all together. AND, we had beds, for all that's worth. Most of the other passengers slept up in the coach cabin, which might not have been that bad except for the hundreds of other people, not to mention the lights and noise. The best thing about having a room is that you have a place to leave your bags, which can be a burden when you're in transition. The kids were excited about sleeping in the cabin, it reminded them of a submarine.

R purchased a hot supper with our ticket, so we headed up the restaurant and had a nice meal. Then again, I'm not picky, and like airline food. It was a big, four course deal, complete with appetizer, salad, spaghetti with meat sauce (ragu), steak frites, and dessert. I, for one, enjoyed it, though R thought it was way too much food, and we even told the waiter to give us only three entrees. During our meal, the boat was still docked at the port, so we weren't moving. When we finished, we headed to the top deck to watch the launch.

The boat took off around 9:00, and it's always fun to watch the port fade in the distance. What's amazing is when you think about how fast (or slow) the boat is going, and how much distance it has to cover, it sort of boggles your mind. After about an hour, we retired to our cabin to try to get some sleep. As I mentioned, the cabin was tiny, but cozy, and we cleaned up and got ready. The bathrooms weren't the most pristine, even by my lax standards, but the ones upstairs were nicer, so we cleaned up and went to bad. It was pitch black in the cabin.

At some point, maybe around 4:00AM, there was this horrendous noise, and it became clear that not only was our room close to the cargo hold, but it was adjacent to the engine. I'm guessing the put the peddle to the metal to make better time. It was so noisy in our room, and I couldn't sleep from that point onward. I don't think I was alone.

The go around and wake people up at 6:00AM for breakfast, but we were all dressed up and ready to go by 5:00. The steward was surprised to see us. We went up for breakfast in zombie mode, we were all so tired, but it was a nice morning, and I was just happy to have arrived in Split, which I may have mentioned the palace of the Emperor Diocletian of Rome is located. We got off the boat at 7:00AM and had to catch another ferry to Hvar, but had several hours to pass before our departure.

It was hard to function properly with so little sleep, and we were in a foreign port where they didn't speak English. We had to find a place to leave our bags, get some food/coffee, get a SIM card for our cell phone so we could call the hotel to pick us up in Hvar, and finally, get our ferry tickets to Hvar. Piece cake, right?

Well, as it turns out, functioning in Split was a lot easier than we anticipated. People are very friendly, most of them speak some level of English, the town is really cool. I mean really cool. It didn't hurt that the weather was beautiful, but more on this later.

Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to RIC for the pics.

Adventures in Driving in Italy

One aspect of travel that you don't always get to experience are the everyday things that you have to deal with at home. Case in point, driving a car, and all it entails. We rented a car in Italy just outside of Florence, and let me tell you, driving in a foreign country is always an adventure. Then again, we live for adventure, though I have the easy job of simply driving. R has to navigate, which she excels at, but it's a tough job, especially when all the towns are in Italian and the road signs leave a lot to be desired.

Now I've found people in Europe drive a little fast, at least for my taste. This is complicated by the fact that we are driving on these small, winding mountain roads with little in the way of side barriers, so I drive even slower. For the record, Italy is very mountainous, though that's what makes it so beautiful and interesting. Either way, it wouldn't be so bad if we were all alone, but inevitably some driver pulls up behind me and isn't shy about letting me know that I'm driving too slow. They let me know this by pulling up right behind me and riding me. Talk about frustrating, though I can't complain, it's their country. They pull off these amazingly dangerous passes around blind turns and at night, it's pretty crazy. If there's a bright side to it, it's that I don't really have to do anything, they just go around me and take their own lives in their hands. It's disconcerting, but c'est la vie.

In fact, during the drive, the kids came up with a fun game (at least for them) of counting all the cars that passed us on the road. This was the most fun on the Autostrade, which is there big "interstate" highway system, and consequently, where people drive really fast. To make it all the more fun, we had a fair amount of rain during our last few days in Italy, and on some of the days, it poured, making driving all the more fun. I will say, however, that even though I was passed with reckless abandon in the early going of the trip, I did manage to storm back and restore the pass:get passed ratio to an even 1:1, i.e., I passed as many cars as had passed me. Does this make any sense? Since the kids are so cute, they made a little statistical sheet complete with pictures of each car involved in the analysis. Sometimes they're so cute it hurts.

Another fun challenge was getting gas, which is way more expensive in Europe, which is why everyone drives this little economy cars that get amazing gas mileage. The US should take note, they simply don't drive gas-guzzling SUVs out here. Gas is charged by the liter, as well, so it's even more painful. I'm not sure, but I think it costs about $200 to fill the tank, and the car is tiny. We had to return the car with the tank filled, so naturally there was no getting around the dreaded Euro gas station.

Now we passed these things throughout our trip, but never really gave much thought to actually using them, and it was kind of amusing. They have these self-service kiosks where you pay first and the pump, not completely different than what you see in America, though in the US, each pump has a pay slot, while out here in Italy, there's one central kiosk where you pay for all the pumps. Fortunately, there is an English option, but the darn thing wouldn't take our credit card. I tried my debit card, but no luck, either. I had to employ the assistance of one of our family computer/technical experts (i.e., our kids). In an ideal world, we would simply put in the card and fill the tank, but since it wouldn't take the card, we had to feed Euros into the machine and pump, then check the fuel level, and if need be, put in more Euros. We ended up doing this three times, and even then, I wasn't sure if it was completely filled up, but we went with it. As it turns out, we were fine, the rental car company didn't even check, they just asked us if we'd filled the tank.

The final piece of the puzzle was returning the car, and for this, we had to locate a small airport just outside of the port town of Ancona, where we were to catch a ferry to Croatia. We managed to get there but then had to figure out how to return a rental car. At American airports, they spell this out to you in big, clear letters, but here, it was not the case. Luckily, we'd rented from Hertz, so we managed to find Hertz signs and parked the car accordingly. Then we returned the documents and keys, the people spoke English, and we were on our way.

For the record, the rental car people were super friendly, and they were by far the busiest car rental. I was told this was because they were the nicest people, and I learned this from the Frenchman next to me with whom I conversed with in French. How cool is that? The conversation started because I thought he was trying to cut in front of me in line, but then we became buddies. I love when that happens.

Until the next time, thanks (merci) for reading, and merci de R pour les pics.

Reflections on Small Towns in Italy

Being the scared and apprehensive American tourist that I am, I tend to find comfort in the familiar, but who doesn't? That's why we eat at McDonalds in Europe and Appleby's in NYC. When we travel to a place that is completely foreign and unfamiliar, I am a bit on edge because I never know what to expect. Then again, that's what travel is all about, embracing the unknown while searching for adventure, and adventure is exactly what we love.

When R was planning this trip, which for the record she always does an amazing job, there were times when she was operating in the dark because she didn't know anything about the places where we were staying. TripAdvisor helped a great deal, but even with the internet, there were places that were obscure to the American tourist, i.e, these were places where only Italian tourists go, and we ended up in two of them.

We were caught a little off guard because our stay in Pienza (at Santo Pietro) was much easier, everyone spoke English, and it was filled with English speaking tourists. When we left (sadly) Pienza, we ended up driving through central Italy (Umbria) and ended up first in Saltar, which is in the province of Urbina, then from there, we traveled to Serrungarina, which is even smaller than Saltar, but only about 20 km away. What was really cool is that the proprietor of the casa, Casa Di Mi, said we were the first Americans to stay there. How cool is that?

Either way, it can be daunting traveling to a place where nobody speaks English, and they won't make any effort to. It really comes down to you trying to speak the native language or simply not communicate, but the process of trying is often highly entertaining. It helps when people are friendly (and the kids get a huge kick out of playing with the local cat/kitten population).

That was the case in both places, and as much as I was daunted at the prospect of trying to speak Italian, my incompetence was not an issue. They were very understanding. The two places we stayed were both small and family run, and even though they were in the process of trying to figure things out and maybe didn't quite have the drill down, they were so nice that you only wished the best for them. Plus, both the places, The San Martino Country House and Casa Di Mi, were clean and beautifully decorated. The fact that Italians like to go there and vacation is not a bad thing, kind of like ethnic restaurants where people of that ethnicity like to eat.

Both places were in small towns, and though it was a challenge communicating, it was a blast getting to know the locals and even attempting to talk to them. At Casa Di Mi, we were totally lost and couldn't find the B&B. I asked an elderly man for help and he stopped what he was doing, changed his shoes, and walked us to the center of town to help us find the place. Nobody knew where this place was, and recommended that we get back in our car and drive up the road. I ended up asking a guy across the street, and he said that we were at Casa Di Mi. It just so happened that his daughter spoke a bit of English, so we were saved. The food at Casa Di Mi was amazing.

All in all, we're getting the most of our authentic Italian adventure. Now I understand why people go to Disneyland or go on a cruise or do Club Med, everything is conveniently taken care of and there are no surprises or challenges, but you sure can't beat the local experience when it's beating you over the head. You just can't put a price on these moments, and it sure makes for a great story.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.